Record Reviews

SANTANA ~ AFRICA SPEAKS CONCORD 888072090842 (Barcode: 888072090842) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 It is almost exactly fifty years since I´ve heard SantanaFind albums by this artist live for the first time during the Woodstock Festival and it was definitely "love at first sound". Over the years I have kept a close ear down to the Santana ground, following the ups and downs the incredibly talented guitarist / composer / bandleader Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist and his ever changing ensembles, which produced a vast body of recordings over time. Santana never lost his touch on the guitar and he is still one of the best guitar players around, which nobody can deny. Personally I always preferred the Jazz "days" when Santana explored exotic Jazz-Rock Fusion with some of the top Jazz musicians, like fellow guitarist John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, but of course many of his later Latin / Pop explorations were also exemplary. This album finds Carlos Santana coupled with Spanish vocalist / composer / poet BuikaFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Concha BuikaFind albums by this artist), who sings the lead vocals (in Spanish) on all the tracks, which she wrote the lyrics to. Carlos Santana composed or co-composed the music to all the eleven tracks on the album. The instrumental sound follows the classic Santana pattern with scorching lead guitar, Hammond organ, bass, drums and percussion. The music, as the album´s title suggests, explores the polyrhythmic African tradition, heavily mixed with Latin and some Jazz influences. It definitely takes time to get into. Santana´s guitar is harsh and rocky, in contrast to his usual fluid and mellow tone, often so harsh that listening to the music becomes very difficult. Buika, who is considered as a talented singer, shouts almost non-stop, in a manner that can hardly be considered as singing, which again adds to the difficulty I experienced while listening to the music, produced by the famous producer Rick RubinFind albums by this artist at his studio. It is definitely quite strange for a producer of such fame to create an almost unlistenable product – perhaps a product of the MP3 aesthetics. I had to take the volume down almost to a whisper while listening to the album to be able to listen to it in its entirety. Overall this is a very disappointing album and a sad 50th anniversary (and 25th studio album anniversary), which still shows Carlos Santana as a great guitarist, but surrounded by a sonic cacophonic disaster.

Updated: 07/07/2019Posted: 07/07/2019

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